sheehy



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

R. J. SHEEHY.

SWITCH BOARD FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT STATIONS.

No. 284,247. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

fi l-1 I llllllllllllllllllln .V, R n. .A 1 m w 0 I. R, 0 m M A U M B W M W M Q m u. H w W a w (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. .J. SHEEHY.

SWITCH BOARD FOR ELECTRIC LICHT STATIONS- No. 284,247. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

7V1 TJVESSES .UVVLINTOR 1206 era. J hee/2y By half .lfltz orneg s v I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

R. J. SHEEHY.

SWITCH BOARD FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT STATIONS.

No. 284,247. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

N. PETERS. Phulo-bthogvapher. WlihinlOn. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. SHEEHY, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

SWITCH-BOARD FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHT STATIONS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,2d7, dated September 4, 1833.

Application filed November 4, 1882. (No model.)

Ta ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. SHEEHY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Boards for Electric-Light Stations, 01' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of switch-boards of the class employed for completing the circuitconnections between electric generators, capable of producing currents of considerable electro-motive force, and secondary conductors in the circuits of which electric lamps or other similar translating devices are included.

The object of my invention is to provide means for readily interchanging the connections of the respective generator and electriclighting circuits, for the purpose of placing one or more light-circuits in connection with a single generator, or of connecting two or more generators with a single electric-lighting circuit, and at the same time to remove the danger, to which the operator is frequently exposed, of receiving an electric shock by accidentally completing the circuit of the genera tor through his body, as well as to avoid the liability of the completion of a short circuit between two adjacent conductors of opposing potential through the frame-work and mechanism of the switch-board.

To this end the invention consists in combining with a series of horizontal metallic conducting plates or rods arranged in pairs, and respectively constituting the terminals of a series of electric generators, a series of vertical conductingplates separated therefrom by intervening air-spaces, and constituting the respective terminals of a system of electriclight circuits.

It further consists in the organization of a series of movable carriages, one for each of said horizontal terminal conductors, for completing electrical connections between any one of said conductors with any one of the vertical comluctors, through the instrumentality of a lever carried upon said movable carriage, and capable of being placed in metallic c011- nection with a series of contact-pins projecting from. said vertical conductors.

The invention also consists in combining,

with a switchboard organized in the manner described, a supplementary vertical conducting-strip, through which two or more genera,- tors may be connected in series, and in applying to the extremities of the vertical conductin g-stri ps a system of movable switches, whereby two or more electric-light circuits may be united in one continuous circuit, for the purpose of connecting the same with a single gen crater-circuit.

The invention also embraces certain details of construction hereinafter specifically de scribed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illus trate my invention, Figure 1 is a view in per spective of a switch-board embodying my im provements, and Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a plan view and a vertical section of a detached portion of the same. Figs; 4 and 5 are detached views of one of the movable carriages or switches.

Referring to these drawings, A A 850., represent a series of metallic plates or rods, arranged horizontally and in pairs across the front or face of the board, one of such pairs of conducting plates being provided for each electric generator m of a series of such generators, and being connected therewith by conductors l 3, &c. The horizontal conduct ing-strips A are supported upon metallic uprights a b a b", &c., from a corresponding series of non-conducting bars or supports, B B, &c., which are preferably constructed of dry wood or other suitable material, and placed beneath the coinlucting-strips. Suitable binding-posts, O 0 &c., are provided for placing the conductors leading from the respective generators, m of, &c., in electrical connection with the respective conductingstrips A. These binding-posts may be placed at any convenient place upon the plates A or supports a b,- but they are preferably formed within the inner extremities of the uprights a Z), in the manner shown in Fig. 3. They are preferably arranged, as shown, at the opposite extremities of the alternate conducting-strips, for the purpose of placing the conductors leading from the opposite poles of each generator at as great a distance as possible from each other. Thus the binding-post O is placed at the right-hand extremity of the horizontal conductor A and the binding-post O at thelefthand extremity of the strip A and in' like manner the binding-post G at the right and O at the left, throughout the series. manner all the poles of one denomination may be connected at one side of the board, and those of the opposite denomination at the other side. The horizontal non-conducting bars B B &c., are supported in their required positions beneath the respective strips, A A &c., by means of a similar series of vertical non-conducting supports, D D, 860., with which they are mechanically united,.preferably by means of surface-j oints, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The series of conducting-strips for receiving the terminals of the conductorsv extending to and including the electric lights n M, &c., or

, other apparatus to be connected with the gencrators, consists of two systems or sets of vertical metallic strips, one of which sets, E E, &c., is arranged upon the outer surfaces of the non-conducting supports D D, &c., while the remaining set, E E", &c., are secured to the corresponding surfaces of an intervening series of similar non-conducting supports, D D, &c. The supports D D &c., are parallel with the corresponding supports, D D, &c., between which they intervene, but do not extend forward to so great a distance. This construction I employ for the purpose of bringing the alternate vertical conducting-strips E E E,

&c., in different planes, and lessening the liability of accidental short-circuiting. A suitable binding-post, e, is provided at the extremity of each vertical conductor E, for es- 4 tablishing electrical connections therewith.

The wholesystem of supports 1) D D &c., is held in position by suitable non-conducting braces, F F, &c., extending at right angles thereto, and constituting the base of the board.

For the purpose of conveniently establishing electrical connections between the horizontal conductors A and the vertical plates E, I apply to each vertical conductor E a series of metallic pins or posts, 6, projecting therefrom toward the face of the board, one pin projecting from each plate adjacent to each horizontal plate A. The pins f, projecting from the other conductors, E E*, &c., are of sufficient length to receive a contact-spring, hereinafter described, while the pinsc, projecting from the inner intervening plates, E E, &c., are of such length as to terminate in the same plane with the pins f, which plane is preferably considerably beneath that of the horizontal plates A. The vertical positions of the pins 0 and f with reference to the cor responding horizontal plates, A, are preferably so arranged that each transverse series of pins corresponding to the individual vertical plates shall be in a direct line slightly above and equidistant from'the corresponding horizontal strip.

It will be understood from the foregoing de-- scription that there are'provided two systems of conducting-plates arranged at right angles- In this with each other, the plates in one system being designed to receive the respective terminals of the generator-circuits, and the plates in the other system to receive the respective terminals of the electric-light circuits.

For the purpose of readily coupling the terminals of any generator-circuit with the terminals of any light-circuit connected with the board, I place upon each horizontal conductvice, G, which is designed to be moved along its horizontal plate A, and in electrical connection therewith, until in the proper position to place it at the same time in electrical connection with the desired vertical plate.

The construction of the coupling device G will be best understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5. It consists of a metallic plate, H, to which are attached four parallel grooved or fit over and roll upon the upper edge of the plates A, while the remaining two run upon the lower edge of the same, thus preventing the carriage from being removed therefrom, except at the end of the plate. Upon one side of the plate H, and through the wheels h, in

an L- shaped lever, I, pivoted at its angle k. This lever is employed for completing the electrical connections from the plates A with the pins 6 and f. The lever I carries at the extremity of its long arnrtwo contact-springs, it, adapted to grasp the extremities of the pins 0 and f, adjacent to the particular plate A upon which it is placed.

insulating material, by means of which the long arm of the lever -may be raised from the pins 6 and f when desired.'- For thepurpose of maintaining the lever in its either elevated or depressed position, as desired, 1 provide a spring, K, one end of which is attached to the short arm of the lever at a point, k, while the opposite end is attached to an arm, from the plate H, in such a position that when the lever is in its downward position, as shown in Fig. 4, the spring will act upon one side of the pivot is and cause the lever to remain in that position; but when the lever of the pivot and hold the lever in its elevated position. For the purpose of more readily ascertaining the proper position in which to place the coupling device G when it is desired to complete an electrical connection with any given pin, 6 or f, I provide an additional lever, M. This lever is adapted to secure the carriage and the lever I in the required longitudinal positions, so that when the latter is the extremity of one of the pins, 3 or f. The particular method which Iemploy for this purpose consists in forming in the horizontal strips A apertures 11. n, adapted to receive 'a'pin' or arm,m, carried upon the extremity of the lever M, and to secure the carriage G in the required track wheels, h, two of which are designed to V electrical connection with the plate A, is placed The short arm 0' of the lever I is provided with a handle, 6, of

is elevated'it will act upon the opposite side depressed the contact-springs j z will engage ing-plate a movable carriage or coupling deposition relativeto the pins 0 and f. The lever M is pivoted to the plate H at o, and upon its short arm is carried ahandle, O, of insulatingmaterial. The lever is normally held in its downward position, with the pin m against the plate A, by means of a spring, 0, secured to a stationary support, 0. \Vhen the carriage is to be moved along the plate A, the handle 0 O is grasped, and the pin on thereby withdrawn from the aperture w. The lever I is also raised from the pins 6 and f, and the whole carriage moved along the plate A until it is brought into the vicinity of the aperture corresponding to the pin 6 orf, with which it is desired to connect the lever I. The handle 0 O is then released and the pin in allowed to press against the snrface of the plate A until it reaches the aperture 71, within which it falls under the influence of the spring 0. By depressing the lever I the springs i will thereupon engage the required pin, 0 or f.

It willbe evident from the foregoing description that by employing one carriage or movable coupling device, G, for each horizontal plate A, any one of the said plates may be placed, through the lever I and pin 6 or f, in electrical connection with any one of the vertical conducting-plates E; and thatby connecting inlike manner the two horizontal strips constituting the terminals of a generator-circuit with the two plates, respectively, which constitute the terminals of a lighting-circuit, the circuit of the generator will be completed through such li ghting-circuit. Such a connection is indicated in diagram in Fig. 1 by the wires .r I

It is frequently necessary, in operating electriclighting systems, to connect two or more generators in series with a single lighting-circuit; and, on the other hand, it is sometimes desired to couple two or more light-circuits together and connect them with a single gen-, erator. For the purpose of readily connecting any two generators with each other in series, and thus with any of the electric-light circuits, I provide an additional vertical condnctor, 1, similar in its construction to the vertical conductors E, but not designed to be employed as the terminal of a circuit. The method of coupling two generators in series through this plate consists in placing one horizontal plate A-i'or instance Ain connection with one vertical terminal plate of one of the light-circuitsfor instance Eand then connecting the opposite pole of the same generator with. the plate P through the plate A The opposite pole of the second generator is then connected with the same plate P by means of its terminal plate A, and the remaining pole of that generator with the remaining terminal of the electric-light circuit through the plate A. v

The means which I employ for connecting two or more electric-light circuits in one consists of a series of switch-arms, R R, pivoted to one extremity of the alternate vertical c0nductors E, arranged to place the adjacent plates in electrical connection with each other when turned to rest in contact with the contact-points r 1', the latter being carried upon the intervening plates. By means of these switches it is evident that any two or more adjacent terminals may be connected with each other, and the opposite poles of a generator may be conected with the two extreme plates E in the same man ner as before.

Instead of relying upon the contact of the rollers or wheels h for completing the electrical. connections of the carriage G with the horizontal plates A A, suitable frictional contact-springs may be employed to press against the surfaces of the latter, and the wheels h be constructed to run upon a non-conducting strip placed outside the metallic plate A.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a series of vertical conducting-plates, of which series the alternate plates are in different vertical planes, a series of horizontal conducting-plates, and means, substantially such as described, for placing any one of said horizontal plates in electrical c011- nection with any of said vertical plates.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, ofa series of vertical eonducting-plates, of which series the alternate plates are in one vertical plane and the intervening plates in a second vertical plane, a series of horizontal conducting-plates in a third vertical plane, means for electrically connecting any of said horizontal conducting-plates with any one of said vertical plates, and means, substantially such as described, for placing any two or more of said vertical plates in electrical connection with each other.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a series of electric generators, a series of electric-light circuits, a series of horizontal conducting-plates, respectively constituting the terminals of said generators, a series of vertical conductingplates, respectively constituting the terminals of said electric-light circuits, means, substantially such as described, for placing any of said horizontal plates in electrical connection with any of said vertical plates, and an independent conducting-plate, in electrical connection with which any of said horizontal plates may be placed.

4. The combination, substantially as h ereinbefore set forth, of a series of vertical conducting-plates, of which series the alternate plates are arranged in one vertical plane and the remaining plates in a second vertical plane, a series of conducting-pins projecting from each of said vertical plates and terminating in a third vertical plane common to both sets of pins, and means, substantially such as de scribed, for placing any of said horizontal plates in electrical connection with any of said vertical plates through said conducting-pins.

5. A movable circuit closer consisting in the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a supporting-plate, a series of grooved track-wheels carried upon said plate, and a circuit-closing lever pivoted at one side of said plate.

5 6. The combination, substantially as herein: before set forth, with a horizontal track-rail, of a movable circuit-closer consisting of a supporting-plate, a series of grooved trackwheels carried upon said plate, a circuit-clos- IO ing lever pivoted at one side of said plate, and I 

